Beyoncé is no dummy: 5 reasons she’s shrewder than her haters think

It’s only 11 days into 2013, and pop/R&B superstar Beyoncé has already re-introduced herself as the preeminent force in popular music.

Images from her uber-sexy GQ photoshoot hit the Web this week to rave reviews, and she’s already slated to perform at halftime of this year’s Super Bowl. Her new album is set to debut in February, as is the self-directed, self-produced HBO documentary about her life.

She spoke to GQ about her ambitions and achieving the goals she set for herself early in her life.

“I worked so hard during my childhood to meet this goal: By the time I was 30 years old, I could do what I want,” she says.

“I’ve reached that,” she continued. “I feel very fortunate to be in that position. But I’ve sacrificed a lot of things, and I’ve worked harder than probably anyone I know, at least in the music industry. So I just have to remind myself that I deserve it.”

She is the hardest working woman in show business. Despite this, Beyoncé often gets mocked by her detractors for being less-than-bright, but here are some examples that suggest she may be far shrewder than some of her critics seem to believe…